Messier 107

Messier 107
M107 from Hubble Space Telescope; 3.5′ view Credit: NASA/STScI/
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Class	X
Right ascension	16h 32m 31.86s
Declination	–13° 03′ 13.6″
Distance	20.9 kly (6.4 kpc)
Apparent magnitude (V)	+8.85
Apparent dimensions (V)	13′.0
Physical characteristics
Mass	7005182000000000000♠1.82×105 M☉
Radius	39.5 ly
Metallicity	${\displaystyle {\begin{smallmatrix}\left[{\ce {Fe}}/{\ce {H}}\right]\end{smallmatrix}}}$ = –0.95dex
Estimated age	13.95 Gyr
Other designations	NGC 6171, GCl 44
See also: Globular cluster, List of globular clusters

Globular Cluster M107 (also known as Messier Object 107 or NGC 6171) is the last globular cluster in the Messier Catalogue. It is a very loose globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in April 1782 and independently by William Herschel in 1793. It wasn't until 1947 that Helen Sawyer Hogg added it and three other objects discovered by Méchain to the list of Messier objects.

M107 is close to the galactic plane at a distance of about 20,900 light-years from Earth. There are 25 known variable stars in this cluster.

The globular star cluster Messier 107 image taken by the Wide Field Imager (WFI) on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope.

Map showing the location of M107.

Coordinates: 16^h 32^m 31.91^s, −13° 03′ 13.1″